Report: Man tried to burn down home with kids inside

A Columbia man was arrested after allegedly attempting to burn down his residence with his former girlfriend and her two children inside, according to a police report.

A Columbia man was arrested after allegedly attempting to burn down his residence with his former girlfriend and her two children inside, according to a police report.

Kevin Wayne Daniel, 37, 231 Mockingbird Drive, was arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated domestic assault and three counts of reckless endangerment. He remained jailed Wednesday in lieu of $14,000 bond.

Columbia Police Officer Matthew Burns responded to the residence about 7:30 p.m. after a caller, whose name was redacted from the incident report, stated Daniel made threats to burn down the home. The officer arrived and witnessed Daniel sitting on a couch talking with his former girlfriend. The officer noted Daniel “had an odor of gasoline on his person and appeared to be intoxicated,” the report stated.

The former girlfriend told police the two began arguing because she had a new boyfriend. Daniel went outside, grabbed a gas can and poured the liquid on the living room wall, door and floor. He then reached into his pocket, grabbed a lighter and attempted to light it, the report stated.

The unnamed caller said she knocked the gas can from Daniel’s hand preventing him “from doing anything further,” threw it in the yard and called 911.

The officer said he found a lighter on Daniel, and he was arrested without further incident, the report stated.